MELBOURNE — The US State Department approved multiple Foreign Military Sales for equipment for New Zealand as well as for South Korea, according to recent announcements.
The potential sales, announced Friday, are valued at $1.57 billion for New Zealand and $106 million for South Korea.
In a first sale, valued at $1.5 billion, New Zealand could receive five Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk helicopters as well as airborne low-frequency sonars and Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS)
The potential sale also includes 225 missiles and guidance sections for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) guided rocket and 65 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles.
A separate sale for 20 MK 54 lightweight torpedoes and related equipment for $69 million was also approved that same day. The torpedoes can be carried by the MH-60Rs as well as the P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine multi-mission aircraft already operated by New Zealand.
The country had announced in August that it had selected the MH-60R to replace eight Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters that were acquired from neighboring Australia in 2013.
As for South Korea, the US State Department approved on Friday $106 million for 708 KMU-557 JDAM tail kits along with 58 KMU-572 JDAM guidance sets.
The KMU-557 converts the BLU-109 2,000-lb air-dropped penetrator bomb into a satellite-guided precision weapon, while the KMU-572 is the conversion kit for the 500-lb MK 82 bomb.
South Korea operates several aircraft types that can employ both types of JDAMs, including the F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter, F-15K Slam Eagle and F-16C/D multirole fighters.
FMS announcements do not represent final sales; quantities and dollar totals often shift during negotiations, and the announcement tees up an opportunity for lawmakers to block the deal within a 30-day period, though such a step is rare.
